Map of France | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II France suffered extensive losses in its empire wealth manpower and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958 it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe including the introduction of a common exchange currency the euro in January 1999. At present France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy.


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Location: Western Europe bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel between Belgium and Spain southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Spain

Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N 2 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 547,030 km²
Land: 545,630 km²
Water: 1,400 km²
Note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

Land boundaries
Total: 2,889 km
Border countries: (8) Andorra 56.6 km; , Belgium 620 km; , Germany 451 km; , Italy 488 km; , Luxembourg 73 km; , Monaco 4.4 km; , Spain 623 km; , Switzerland 573 km

Coastline: 3,427 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: generally cool winters and mild summers but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong cold dry north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

Terrain: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous especially Pyrenees in south Alps in east

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
Extremes highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources: coal iron ore bauxite zinc uranium antimony arsenic potash feldspar fluorospar gypsum timber fish

Land use
Arable land: 33.53%
Permanent crops: 2.07%
Other: 64.4% (2001)

Irrigated land: 20,000 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean

Geography
Note: largest West European nation


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Population: 60,424,213 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 0.39% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 6.5% (2000)

Nationality
Noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
Adjective: French

Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic Slavic North African Indochinese Basque minorities

Languages: French 100% rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal Breton Alsatian Corsican Catalan Basque Flemish)

Religions: Roman Catholic 83%-88% Protestant 2% Jewish 1% Muslim 5%-10% unaffiliated 4%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 5,724,185; female 5,446,716)
15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,698,497; female 19,663,776)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,049,970; female 5,841,069) (2004 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 38.6 years
Male: 37 years
Female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.39% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 12.34 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 9.06 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes agricultural runoff
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2004 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.31 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 4.83 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.78 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.44 years
Male: 75.8 years
Female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 120,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: less than 1000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99% (1980 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: French Republic
Conventional short form: France
Local long form: Republique Francaise
Local short form: France

Government type: republic

Capital: Paris

Administrative divisions
Note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the 'territorial collectivity' of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon)

Dependent areas
Note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence: 486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday: Bastille Day 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 amended concerning election of president in 1962 amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty 1996 Amsterdam Treaty 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a five-year term

Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
Head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May 2002)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007, second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president
Election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04%

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held September 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president three appointed by the president of the National Assembly and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders: Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD. and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Gilles LEMAIRE Francine BAVAY Jean DESESSARD Christophe PORQUIER Maud LELIEVRE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR DL and a part of UDF) [Nicolas SARKOZY]

International organization participation: ABEDA ACCT AfDB AsDB Australia Group BDEAC BIS BSEC (observer) CE CERN EAPC EBRD EIB EMU ESA EU FAO FZ G- 5 G- 7 G- 8 G-10 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO InOC Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU MIGA MINURSO MINUSTAH MONUC NAM (guest) NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA UN UN Security Council UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNITAR UNMEE UNMIK UNMIL UNMOVIC UNOCI UNOMIG UNRWA UNTSO UPU WADB (nonregional) WCL WCO WEU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
In the us chancery: 4,101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 944-6,000
In the us fax: [1] (202) 944-6,166
In the us consulates general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
From the us embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75,008 Paris Cedex 08
From the us mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 9,777
From the us telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
From the us fax: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
From the us consulates general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side) white and red; known as the 'Le drapeau tricolore' (French Tricolor) the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags including those of Belgium Chad Ireland Cote d'Ivoire Luxembourg and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The Socialist-led government partially or fully privatized many large companies banks and insurers but the government retains controlling stakes in several leading firms including Air France France Telecom Renault and Thales and is dominant in some sectors particularly power public transport and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws tax policies and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. The current government has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment. The government is focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government is also pushing for pension reforms and simplification of administrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The current economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the 2003 deficit to 4% of GDP above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listless because of low rates of capital utilization sluggish demand high debt and the steep cost of capital.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 0.5% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.7%
Industry: 24.4%
Services: 72.9% (2003 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat cereals sugar beets potatoes wine grapes; beef dairy products; fish

Industries: machinery chemicals automobiles metallurgy aircraft electronics; textiles food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2003)

Labor force: 27.39 million (2003 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 4.1%
By occupation industry: 24.4%
By occupation services: 71.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 6.5% (2000)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.8%
Highest 10: 25.1% (1995)

Distribution of family income gini index: 32.7 (1995)

Budget
Revenues: $882.8 billion
Expenditures: $955.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $23 billion (2003 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 68.8% of GDP (2003)

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.1% (2003 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $13.8 billion (2003)

Exports: $346.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment aircraft plastics chemicals pharmaceutical products iron and steel beverages
Partners: Germany 14.9% Spain 9.6% UK 9.4% Italy 9.3% Belgium 7.2% US 6.8% (2003)

Imports: $339.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment vehicles crude oil aircraft plastics chemicals
Partners: Germany 19.1% Belgium 9.4% Italy 9% Spain 7.4% Netherlands 7% UK 7% US 5.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003) 1.0626 (2002) 1.1175 (2001) 1.0854 (2000) 0.9386 (1999)


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Electricity
Production: 520.1 billion kWh (2001)
Consumption: 415.3 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 72.6 billion kWh (2001)
Imports: 4.2 billion kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 1.898 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 42.01 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 1.725 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 40.26 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 12.86 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 33,905,400 (2003)
Mobile cellular: 41,683,100 (2003)

Telephone system
General assessment: highly developed
Domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
International: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .fr
Hosts: 2,396,761 (2004)
Users: 21.9 million (2003)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $45,238 million (2003)
Percent of gdp: 2.6% (2003)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 477 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 283
With paved runways over 3047 m: 13
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 28
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 95
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 82
With paved runways under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 195
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 72
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)

Pipelines: gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004)

Railways
Total: 32,175 km
Standard gauge: 32,008 km 1.435-m gauge (14,320 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Roadways

Waterways: 8,500 km (1686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000)

Merchant marine
Total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT
By type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 2, liquefied gas 4, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 4
Foreign owned: Germany 1, Monaco 2, New Caledonia 1, Sweden 5
Registered in other countries: 118 (2004 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Madagascar claims Bassas da India Europa Island Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine Southwest Asian heroin and European synthetics